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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25502401">To Heal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenvhs/pseuds/brokenvhs'>brokenvhs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Rise of Kyoshi, The Shadow of Kyoshi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Extended Story, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:35:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,757</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25502401</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenvhs/pseuds/brokenvhs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>*this fic contains massive spoilers for Shadow of Kyoshi so I would highly suggest you read it before reading this fic</p><p>After many months of hardship, it seems that peace may just be in arms reach. But Kyoshi is still trying to deal with the trauma of all that has happened ever since she became Avatar, not knowing how to properly cope with it. Rangi swears to help Kyoshi through all of it, as she realizes this burden isn't for her to bear alone anymore.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kyoshi/Rangi (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>195</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Other Side of Peace</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The great rain that had poured over the Fire Nation’s crops seemed to have traveled all the way to Yokoya. Luckily the strength of the storm had died down since then, as it could have brought caution for flooding the town’s harbor. The patter of water droplets against the wooden boards of the Avatar estate was a calming ambiance, a perfect sound to continue sleeping if it hadn’t leaked through the ceiling. One leak, in particular, was right above Rangi, becoming a nuisance as she slowly woke up.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes squinted, rubbing them to clear her vision. Once she came to her senses, she noticed something was off. A different air to the room. She glanced at the other side of the bed to find Kyoshi wasn’t there. The lack of an impression on the cushion signaled that she had been up for a while. At the same time, while Rangi noticed the change in the room, it wasn’t an unusual occurrence either. Kyoshi had been up earlier than practically everyone since they agreed to reside in the estate. But she also noticed that Kyoshi would stay up later than everyone else, a new concern added on for Rangi to worry about. She sighed deeply, hoping today would have been a change of pace.</p><p> </p><p>Rangi stood up firmly from the bed. She didn’t require her walking cane anymore, as the progress on her health was faster than anyone would have expected considering how serious the injury was. She solemnly dressed in the usual Fire Nation military attire and arranged her hair into a topknot. She made her way through the hallways of the estate, some still battered after their fight with Yun. They were painful reminders of the events that conspired many days ago, but also for a time where they were blissfully unaware of the deception Jianzhu had enacted.</p><p> </p><p>Rangi came to an open space in the estates, a space without a roof that would have been used as a garden one day, but for now, was just a big patch of grass for visitors to enjoy the outside air. This was where she usually found Kyoshi, trying to converse with her past lives or prepping the negotiations for Fire Lord Zoryu to admonish the Saowan clan of their charges. But she didn’t find her here. All that was left was a tea set, with a cup filling with rain that poured out onto the grass, and a half-peeled orange. </p><p> </p><p><em> Skipping meals again? </em> She thought to herself in disappointment. She stared out through the wall of rain that separated the creaky wooden coverings from the soft dirt of the grassy patch. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the door to a room that was slightly open with light peering out of the crack. Rangi straightened her eyes and made her way to the room, ignoring the tea set for now. </p><p> </p><p>----------------</p><p> </p><p>Rangi slid the door open with hesitation, mostly due to how jittery the frames became over numerous months without being replaced. She found Kyoshi, hunched over a table with an ink canister to her left, a lit candle to her right, and a letter containing Lao Ge’s updates on the Fire Nation in her hands. She broke her attention from the letter to see Rangi standing at the doorway. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Rangi wore a slight but sincere smile on her face. Kyoshi returned it back. She made her way to Kyoshi’s side, focusing her attention on the towering woman while she brought her attention back to the letter. “What's new today?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not much, it seems that Zoryu’s keeping his end of the bargain, but we’re still keeping an eye on him just in case he decides to throw out the plan. So far he's been talking with a few of his chancellors to remove some of the Saowan clan from house arrest, but there's still those that were put in prison. Lao Ge will let me know if he gets out of line. And if he does, well…..you know.”</p><p> </p><p>The warmth that Kyoshi radiated when Rangi first walked into the room quickly faded away. She knew that disposing of Zoryu was always going to be a possibility, but the thought of having to kill again to keep some perceived form of “peace” was continuing to strain her mind. This feeling transformed her face to a mask, one that was stoic and devoid of emotion.</p><p> </p><p>Rangi’s concerns came back in full force. She would be lying if she said that she was truly behind this plan. It went against her own code of honor that she has been following since childhood. In fact, it went against her own basic morals. But she knew that the situation was dire, many people's lives might be on the line. She also knew that it wasn’t the easy solution, Kyoshi knows the ripple effect this would have across the Fire Nation. It was a last resort and nothing else. With time, Rangi started to understand why Kyoshi worked in the ways that she did. But it still felt wrong to her.</p><p> </p><p>Rangi turned her head to the side, trying to hide her face. Kyoshi’s lips parted as she was about to say something to her, but decided against it. Then a different thought came into her head. </p><p> </p><p>“Also….your mother will be here later today. Along with Sifu Atuat.”</p><p> </p><p>Rangi huffed, reverting back to a familiar expression, that of annoyance. “Great,” she said sarcastically. “I can’t wait.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not excited to see your mother either, but it means you’ll get the proper healing for your wound.” Kyoshi then took a curious look at Rangi, examining her more sturdy posture. “But come to think of it, you’ve bounced back a lot more than I thought you would. I said you might catch a fever but I haven’t seen any signs.”</p><p> </p><p>This relaxed Rangi from the previous topic as her annoyance quickly subsided into playfulness. “Maybe my strong will has been keeping me alive.” She gave her a cheeky glance as Kyoshi rolled her eyes at the firebender’s comment. </p><p> </p><p>Then Rangi slipped her hand into Kyoshi’s, softly entwining their fingers. “Or maybe its that I have a great healer.” </p><p> </p><p>Kyoshi tried to hide her slight embarrassment before Rangi gave her a kiss on her temple. For this point in their relationship, a gesture like that might have appeared childish, but it broke the tension with a bit of sweetness. They both laughed, enjoying each other's company as they let their current responsibilities be set aside for just a brief moment.</p><p> </p><p>But it didn’t take long for reality to set back in for Kyoshi. Something else was on her mind, something that wasn’t the future of the Fire Nation. She thought about what might become of the woman she loved. Her recovery has been steady, but there was still the pressing question of permanent internal damage. The thought began to fester deeper into the back of her mind. She began to grapple with the thought that maybe she didn’t really save her. Her mind began to drift to those she tried to save, but couldn’t. She felt like she let her guard down again, allowing fate to take another jab.</p><p> </p><p>Rangi was still smiling, she was caught up in the moment. But her face changed as she remembered why she came to her in the first place. “Well, I’ve actually got something I need to ask you. Have you been skipping meals again?”</p><p> </p><p>Kyoshi stayed silent for a good while, eventually bowing her head down. </p><p> </p><p>“Kyoshi, we’ve been through this! You can’t keep doing that, it's not healthy. Especially for someone under as much stress as you are. You need to eat.”</p><p> </p><p>Kyoshi sighed, but tried to conceal it. She wished stress was all there was, but it was much more than that. Her sigh quickly became a chuckle. “It’s okay. You don’t have to worry so much about me.”</p><p> </p><p>“But I do! You’ve been like this ever since we met back at the palace. I’ve been trying to help you get back on a normal eating schedule, but now I think it's only gotten worse.”</p><p> </p><p>Kyoshi slowly turned to face Rangi. She looked like she was struggling to keep the mask on, pretending that everything is okay. “Its fine. I don’t want you to worry about my health, not when you haven’t gotten proper treatment for your wound.”</p><p> </p><p>Something about the way Kyoshi said those last few words unsettled her. Before she might have said that in a somewhat combative tone, but now she sounded soft and withered. It wasn’t just her voice either, she looked tired. Not the kind of tired that could be cured with a good night’s sleep, something more than that.</p><p> </p><p>“Besides, I don’t mind being hungry.”</p><p> </p><p>Rangi didn’t know much about Kyoshi’s childhood in the streets but hearing this gave her a different perspective on everything. She knew what it was like to live off of rations from her time in the Academy, but she never knew what it was like to not know if you could even find a morsel for the next day. This was a feeling she never had the displeasure of knowing. </p><p> </p><p>And it filled her with anger. The same kind of anger she had back at the lake in Hujiang. Part of it was anger at Kyoshi, for feeling like she might deserve any of this. That she deserved any of the horrible turns that have taken outside of her own control. But another part of it was at the world, for making her believe she deserved this pain. To say she got a real deal on life was a gross understatement. She didn’t deserve to punish herself for what the world had done to her.</p><p> </p><p>But Rangi had to conceal that anger. Expressing her outrage wouldn’t help anybody. It was a feeling she would have to tackle someday soon, but today wasn’t that day. What Kyoshi needed was food. “Well, who's taking care of who now? Like it or not you need something to eat-”</p><p> </p><p>Right as Rangi was getting up, she felt a tug at her wrist. Kyoshi was holding on to her tightly. </p><p> </p><p>“B-Before you do that, could you stay here. Just for a little bit. I’m almost done with the letter, then you can make me eat whatever you want.”</p><p> </p><p>Rangi looked down into her eyes, comforted by the sincerity of her words. She wasn’t putting on a mask right now. Without hesitation, she sat back down next to Kyoshi and laid her head against her shoulder. Kyoshi let out a long, breezy sigh as she returned to the letter. </p><p> </p><p>Kyoshi was once again enveloped in a warmth that she missed for some time. Even after they reunited, they didn’t always get the chance to be alone. It felt like something she dearly needed right now. But moments of peace caused suspicion and worry in Kyoshi. Her life had always taken a turn into tragedy right in the middle of peaceful moments. A sinking feeling crept up on her, a sinking feeling about nothing she could identify. Her mind went to Rangi’s injuries again. She thought about the news she might get from Atuat once she heals her. What would it mean for the rest of their lives? She wished she could silence these thoughts. That they could all just fade away.</p><p> </p><p>As she finished the letter, Kyoshi attempted to calm her senses by focusing on Rangi’s breathing and the sound of rain coming from the open doorway.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Master and Student</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kirima found herself bending the water coming out of the cracks of the ceiling, trying to add new drops to the shape she was precariously creating. It was a way to pass the time while everyone waited for Hei-ran to show up. Wong tried copying Kirima by collecting floating dust, which was plentiful at the estate’s entrance. It was one of the bigger rooms in the entire complex, which would be more lively with the usual maids doing their work but now appeared like dead space.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi was off to the side of the room, her anxiousness stood out among the other bored members of the Flying Opera Company. Out of all of them, she was the one waiting for Hei-ran’s arrival with the most anticipation. Though it didn’t feel like anticipation, more like dread. Dread at having to talk to Hei-ran again but also dread for what Atuat’s diagnosis would be once she finally sat down with Rangi. Kyoshi already took her back to the infirmary since they would be showing up soon, but time kept making the tension of the wait more palpable. The thoughts came running back into her head, so she tried to create a distraction for herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi saw a puddle created from the rain and tried to bend it. It began to move up in the air for a few moments but limply came back down to the ground. She attempted to move it again but it only yielded the same results. Her fingers began to strain. Something was wrong. She should have easily bent a puddle of this size like it was nothing. Why was it refusing to bend now?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kirima continued to gather water droplets, oblivious to Kyoshi’s struggle. “So when is the old grouch showing up, we’ve been waiting for hours.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wong shrugged, his dust pile along with him. “Maybe they got caught in…..boat traffic?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kirima carelessly let the water formation out of the air, splashing into the ground. She pushed her hair back and let out an air of frustration. “Well, I guess its no harm waiting for another few hours,” she spoke sarcastically, more than what was usual for her. “Who knows, maybe she’ll show up busting through those doors right no-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before she could finish her sentence, the doors busted open. Everyone in the room flinched in surprise, Wong accidentally flinging his floating dust pile right into his face. At the open doorway stood an ominous silhouette, with a smaller less intimidating silhouette standing behind it. The silhouettes revealed themselves to be Hei-ran and Ataut, both drenched from the rain. Hei-ran looked like she was possessed by the spirit of fear and anger, revealed by her strained stance and a face that could instill terror into the strongest warrior. Atuat smiled and waved at everyone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hei-ran looked as though she were about to speak, a very terrifying concept for everyone in the room. Instead, she quickly got out her chalkboard and began writing furiously. After only a few seconds she turned the board around for everyone to see.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“WHERE IS SHE!?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>----------------------------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi could hear part of the one-way argument outside the infirmary. It was hard to hear what was going on since Hei-ran’s scribbling sometimes got louder than Rangi. She barely heard any of what was said except for one key thing: “It wasn’t her fault.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her heart sinks. There could be a lot of implications to that, even with context. Kyoshi slumped down on one of the nearby benches, a feeling of defeat across her face. She knew she was done for. Kyoshi promised to protect her daughter with everything she had, and even then she slipped up. She anticipated the berating, being called a menace to her daughter that only puts her in danger.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As those thoughts began arising, she noticed another nearby puddle. She breathed in, reached her hand out, and tried again. The water wouldn’t even budge this time. It felt like hitting a liquid wall, it was impossible and yet it was happening. Her frustration got the better of her as she slammed her fist into the other side of the wooden bench, leaving a massive hole. It took a moment for her to realize what she did. She grimaced while trying to flatten the fragments of the wooden plank back into place. Then she heard the infirmary door open. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hei-ran appeared from around the corner. She took a look at Kyoshi, then the other side of the bench. She decided standing was fine. They both sat (or in Hei-ran’s case, stood) in silence for many moments.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi tried to speak before Hei-ran sped through an entire piece of chalk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Before you say anything, Rangi told me the whole story. Including the part where you saved her.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi slowly glanced down at the bottom of the chalkboard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“And I’m sorry about Yun, you did the right thing.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That name still opened up wounds for Kyoshi. Even now it was hard for her to accept everything that had happened, that it was now all in the past. Her friend was gone. He was gone a long time ago. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She felt a pat from Hei-ran on her shoulder. She seemed to understand the pain Kyoshi was feeling now, since Yun was also her student. Hei-ran wasn’t one for emotions so something like this meant she was serious. For the years that Kyoshi has known Rangi’s mother, this felt like the most sincere gesture she’s given to her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>----------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi decided to go back to her work as Atuat was starting her checkup on Rangi. When she returned to her workspace, she found Jinpa had left her a pile of letters. Most of them were from diplomats across the Four Nations inviting her to visit their towns and villages. Most of them she would have to decline since her main priority was the situation with Fire Lord Zoryu. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But her mind kept drifting back to Rangi. She was reading the notes but not processing them. Her focus was off, her mind was on other worrying things.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jinpa came into the room, carrying another sack full of letters and invitations. Kyoshi broke her waning attention on her work, only to grimace at the approaching pile. “Where are all these letters coming from?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, most of these were from the hideout in Ba Sing Se. We’re just finally getting them sent back here. Sorry if it's a bit…..excessive.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi let out a long sigh as she put down the paper she was holding. “It’s probably for the best, I needed to get this all sorted out anyways. How much more is there?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, only five.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Five more letters?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no…..five more crates of letters.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi gave Jinpa a piercing stare, one that showed little emotion except for slight annoyance. Jinpa awkwardly smiled tip-toeing backward out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I’ll be back,” Jinpa pointed his thumb down the hall. “With more…..” He finally exited the doorway. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi breathed through her nose and looked back down at the table. She noticed that it was covered in a blanket of documents and invitations. And this wasn’t all of what she had to look through today. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She decided to take a break. Kyoshi began walking down the halls of the estate, heading to the infirmary. While Zoryu was her top priority as the Avatar, Rangi’s health became her top </span>
  <em>
    <span>personal</span>
  </em>
  <span> priority.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi passed by Hei-ran, who was sleeping on the bench that she put a hole through. She was sleeping, but in reality, it looked more like a stiffly adjusted power nap. It must have been the equivalent of sleeping for a military official. She quietly snuck her past the terrifying woman, making it to the infirmary doors before Atuat opened them up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi stopped in her tracks, moving out of the way so Atuat could get some space. She quietly closed the doors and wiped a bit of sweat from her brow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi slightly raised her hand. “So how is sh-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Atuat put a finger against her lips, signaling for Kyoshi to lower her voice. Kyoshi hunched down and grimaced, not realizing how loud she said that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry” she whispered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s alright kiddo. She's sleeping right now but should be back up in about an hour.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m surprised how quick it was.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, when ya know what your doing the process is pretty simple.” She grinned with the same kind of arrogant flair that Rangi would give off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But that only reminded Kyoshi about the most pressing question. She struggled to come up with the words. She lowered her head, she couldn’t stand to see the sympathetic looks if her worst suspicions come true.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“....Sifu Atuat.” Her voice was shaking before she could even ask.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes sweetie?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There's just one more question I have. About her injury. When I first healed her, I wasn’t sure if there was any permanent internal damage. Later on, I had a suspicion that it might be more serious than that, because of how deep the spear had gone in and the chance of infection. Sifu Atuat…..is she going to die?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The brief period of silence made the wait worse. Kyoshi closed her eyes, her hands turning into fists waiting for the dreadful reply. She had to prepare herself for her worst nightmare to become her reality.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi’s eye shot open. She unbowed her head, her face frozen with confusion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Atuat could read her confusion as clearly as Hei-ran’s chalkboard. “Oh believe me, I was shocked too. Considering how you described the injury, I thought it would be much more serious. But I made a thorough check and there wasn’t a single puncture to any of her vital organs, or any organs really. To be honest, it doesn’t make much sense to me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wind was knocked out of Kyoshi. She had been expecting the worst for quite some time, so she didn’t really know how to react when something went right for once.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Atuat pointed at Kyoshi, her voice was quick and direct. “Did you do the extraction technique every day, like we talked about in training.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi’s face was still frozen, so she replied with a nod. Atuat stroked her chin, trying to assess the possibilities. The seriousness didn’t last long as she jokingly nudged Kyoshi on the side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe the spirits blessed you with some kind of special healing powers.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tension broke from Kyoshi’s face, letting out a light chuckle. Atuat joined in. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But seriously, I don’t know what you did, but it worked. She’s in good health now. The only thing she's got from it is a scar on her back.” Her eyes measured Kyoshi up and down, then she chuckled again. “You know, it looks like you’ve made a fine water healer of yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi breathed a sigh of relief, a relief that was impossible to describe. She didn’t know it then, but she was smiling. It wasn’t like the fake smiles that she had to put on before. She bowed, her hand connecting to her fist. “Thank you, Sifu.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Atuat ruffled Kyoshi’s hair while she was still bowed. “Oh come on, you don’t always have to call me Sifu.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was strange to her, having a Sifu who was more of a friend than a teacher. But at the same time, what she did teach Kyoshi became invaluable when the moment needed it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She unbowed herself, letting her hair stay ruffled. Atuat darted her eyes at the infirmary doors.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come now, I know there's someone you want to see.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Cause for Celebration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rangi’s eyes opened slowly. She knew she was in the infirmary, but she still tried to get a bearing on her surroundings. The only thing she could tell at first was that there was something warm under her right hand, but she wasn’t sure what it was. She blinked, glancing to her side to find Kyoshi sitting by the bed, holding onto her as she continued looking through notes about Fire Lord Zoryu. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The warm feeling on her hand now resided somewhere near her chest, a sense of relief to know she was the first thing she saw as she woke up. Rangi tightened her grip to get Kyoshi’s attention. Her focus quickly broke from the work as she turned to face the bed. They were both smiling at each other.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi put her other hand on top of Rangi’s hand, then slightly raised it up. “How do you feel?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Great, that was the best sleep I’ve had in ages.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi brushed her fingers against Rangi’s palm, still in disbelief of how lucky she was to be in good health.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So…...was there any permanent damage?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi slowly shook her head, still keeping her gaze on Rangi. Rangi’s smile widened right before she lunged at Kyoshi, embracing her while knocking the blanket off the bed. This caught her off guard since she thought Rangi would still be a bit drowsy from sleep. But it didn’t take long for her to get used to it as she leaned into Rangi’s embrace, the familiar feeling of her hair brushing up against her lips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hei-ran was standing in the corner of the room. It was a rare sight for her to see her daughter this happy, so she tried to enjoy it while she could. She held out her chalk piece, keeping her stoic frown as she realized it was down to a spec of dust.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi looked over to the side and suddenly realized her mother saw the whole cuddling session that took place. She and Kyoshi looked at each other awkwardly. Hei-ran opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She turned to the side, coughing. Then she tried again, straining her voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Its..good….to see you're recovering smoothly.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The infirmary doors opened suddenly and Kirima walked in. She glanced around the room, not realizing Rangi had just woken up. “Kyoshi, we found those stupid mushrooms you were talking about. Just thought I’d let you know they’ll be in ki-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kirima stopped mid-sentence, realizing she showed up during a somewhat private moment. But it didn’t stop her from letting go of a smug smirk. “Didn’t take long for you two lovebirds to get all snugly with each other.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone gave Kirima a piercing stare. She was used to the looks Kyoshi and Rangi gave her when she teased them, but Hei-ran was a different story. For once, Kirima decided not to take the risk of teasing any further.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She awkwardly began to inch out of the room. “You know what, I think I’m just gonna go. The mushrooms are ready in the kitchen by the way.” She quickly closed the door. Hei-ran decided to leave as well, to give the two some private time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi turned back to Kyoshi. “Wait, did she say mushrooms?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi scratched the back of her head. “Well, since your check-up went well….I thought I’d treat you to something nice. We found some stalknose mushrooms out by the forest a while back and I thought about making something with it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now Rangi got her chance to be smug. “Treating me to fancy dinner are you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, part of its to celebrate your recovery...but mostly its to say ‘thank you for dealing with me these past few weeks.’”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi meant to sound playful, but Rangi could sense a hint of self disdain at the end. Kyoshi began to look off to the side, only for Rangi’s index finger to push her cheek to face her again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds lovely. Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gave Kyoshi a quick and playful peck on the lips, trying to get her thoughts out of the gutters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The dining hall had a different energy to it that night. While the room was still ragged and rundown like the rest of the estate, it became a spot for a celebration. It was dark outside, and it still pouring rain, so for visibility, the room was lit with numerous candles. The members of the Flying Opera Company were passing around a bottle of sorghum liquor, which Atuat quickly joined in on. Hei-ran sat with Atuat, making sure that she doesn’t overdo it with her new drinking buddies. Jinpa was off to the side, playing songs on a dramyin that he picked up from a couple of nomads in the Earth Kingdom. Rangi sat near the end of the table, with an empty spot next to her, waiting for someone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi was off making preparing the dishes with Aunt Mui. Rangi was surprised, considering how much work Kyoshi had lately, and she still had time to make a celebratory dinner. It worried her, even after everything had died down with Yun she was still busy with the responsibilities of being the Avatar. Though part of Rangi had to remember that it was a full-time responsibility, there was rarely any time to just relax. But she could sense that it was weighing down on her, or maybe its something more than that. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before the thought could stay any longer, Kyoshi and Aunt Mui came into the dining hall with three enclosed metal pans. The room erupted into applause as they opened the pans, showing three different delicious meals. One of them was especially notable, pan-seared noodles in broth with beef, onions, and slices of stalknose mushrooms. Kyoshi brought a bowl of vegetable dumplings over to Jinpa, which was made as a special request. He bowed his head in approval before chowing down. Next, everyone was given a cup of tea, though some decided to stick to the liquor. After that, Kyoshi finally took her seat next to Rangi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi noticed something about the choice of food to cook with the stalknose. She looked back at Kyoshi, playfully raising an eyebrow. “Noodles? Is this your way of getting back at me for being angry at you? That </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> time I was angry with you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi wholeheartedly smiled, shaking her head. “No, think of it more as an apology.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took her a moment to realize what she was saying. That night, Rangi swore that she was through with Kyoshi. She betrayed her trust in a way that was hard to forgive. And yet Rangi still forgave her. But Kyoshi never had the chance to truly apologize for what she did. It meant more than words could tell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it also didn’t seem like a fair apology to Rangi, since these were much fancier than the noodles she angrily whipped up in a spur of the moment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi began making her bowl while Kyoshi watched with anticipation. She took her first taste, her eyes widened with astonishment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi leaned in. “So, how does it taste?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like the best thing I’ve ever tasted! I didn’t realize you were such a good cook.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it seems that you forgot I was a maid before I was the Avatar.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They both laughed at the remark, though Rangi did partly forget about that time of her life. It made her dwell on the past, back when Kyoshi couldn’t even stand up for herself against some small-town bullies. It felt like it was years ago. Kyoshi was also dwelling on the past, but on something much more recent. She remembered something Rangi said when she first came to the Fire Nation. She said that after everything was over, they’d return to Yokoya for the biggest dinner they’ve ever had. And they did, they were having the biggest dinner they’ve ever had at the exact moment. But something was missing, or more specifically </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A simple lingering thought began to fester her mind, in the middle of a moment of comfort among friends and loved ones. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I could have done more.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The change in Kyoshi’s expression must have shown because she could feel Rangi’s concerned gaze directed at her. “Hey,” she put her hand on Kyoshi’s hand, squeezing it slightly. “Is everything alright?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi turned to Rangi with a disheartened smile, trying to put a mask over her feelings again. “Everything’s alright.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Many things annoyed Rangi, but on the lists of things that annoyed her the most, Kyoshi lying through her teeth would have to be at the top. Especially when it came to how she felt. It was obvious that something was on her mind, she could have easily said what it was instead of “everything’s alright”. She did the same thing that morning and right now she was doing it again. This lack of communication, keeping secrets from each other was what got them in so many sticky situations in the past. And now, Rangi wasn’t going to let it happen again. She said to herself that she would let this be an issue for another day, but now she realized it can’t wait any longer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She needed to talk to her, she needed to find out what Kyoshi's hiding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seems that Jinpa also noticed the change in Kyoshi’s mood from across the room as he started playing another song. It was hard to decipher at first, with the loud chatter that was going on between Kirima, Wong, and Atuat, but then the lyrics became a bit clearer. It told a story about two lovers that were once separated finding each other again, followed by a brief musical break about a tunnel in the mountains. Then Jinpa went into the next movement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Even if your lost you can’t, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lose the love because its in your heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ooh ooh wah……”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hei-ran and Atuat didn’t really know what to make of Jinpa’s songs, Kirima rolled her eyes at the lyrics and was surprised (and a little concerned) to find Wong on the verge of tears. But as the song continued on, Rangi laid her head against Kyoshi’s shoulder in the same way she did that morning. She was looking up at Kyoshi, while they were both listening.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t know Jinpa was a musician.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi narrowed at the Air Nomad, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t think he is.”</span>
  <span></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-----------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Most everyone went back to their quarters. Kyoshi helped clean the dishes along with Wong and Kirima. Since the two had spent most of the dinner starting a drinking game, they thought helping with cleaning would make up for it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Staying in the ragged remnants of the kitchen left a feeling of familiarity and guilt. Kyoshi remembered the many hours she spent here during her early years as a maid. But she also remembered her last moment here, singing that poem. That was the day she began to realize who she was, that she was the Avatar. But it was also one of her last memories with Kelsang. Or it was one of the last happy memories with him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I could have done more.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The feeling became tiring after a while. Turning around every corner, finding a new regret left unresolved or an old memory scraping at even older wounds. Staying in the estate felt like sleeping in a graveyard, it was unbearable at times. She began to think about where else they would go, now that Rangi was back to good health.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wong slightly nudged Kyoshi, getting her back to her senses. She stopped in the middle of cleaning and didn’t even realize it. Kyoshi solemnly continued the chore. It felt weird to be doing this again after a year. Something about it felt wrong.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kyoshi,” she heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned her back to see Rangi standing in the kitchen, looking at her with warmth in her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“When you're done, could I talk to you about something,” she motioned her eyes to the hallway. “In private.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi nodded slightly “Sure thing, I’ll be there soon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi kept her gaze on her for a moment before she strolled out of the hallway. Kyoshi went back to cleaning, with more focus on the task at hand. It was only a few minutes later she could sense Kirima’s smug stare. When Kyoshi glanced at her, she raised her eyebrows up and down with sarcastic flair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We better finish these dishes, so you can have your close, private ‘talk’ with her.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t take long for her to realize what she meant. Kyoshi was awash in embarrassment, trying to hide it with a stern face as she frantically cleaned dishes. Kirima was back in her comfort zone, teasing Kyoshi about her love life.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She glanced over at Wong, who gave her a reassuring thumbs up with a weak smile. But it didn’t help her nervousness. She dried the dishes even faster.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now her mind moved to a new concern, a concern born from a simple question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What does she want to “talk” about?</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Taking Off The Mask</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The halls were dead quiet, the only sound being that of Kyoshi’s footsteps and the rain pouring outside. She moved slowly, with a candle in one hand trying not to wake anyone up. Kyoshi could feel her heart pounding, she still didn’t fully know what Rangi meant by having a “talk” but she had a pretty clear idea.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was approaching the door to the bedroom, hesitant to go any further than where she was. But before she mustered up the strength to enter, the door opened. She saw Rangi, her hair taken out of her topknot, looser than she would normally wear it. She was also dressed in a beige nightgown. The wardrobe choice definitely caught Kyoshi’s attention, though it made her more aware of how dirty her own clothes were because of kitchen duty. But there was still stiffness in her posture, like she was still in her military outfit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, come in.” Rangi motioned for her to enter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi walked into the bedroom, doing so slowly and carefully. Her mind was going in a million different directions. At this point, she was pretty certain what was going to happen now. There were too many clues to it. But then Kyoshi remembered, this is Rangi. This is probably some sort of subversion, to keep her on her toes. She knew what to do now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi closed the door behind them. “Kyoshi, I wanted to talk to you ab-” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She turned around to find Kyoshi in Horse stance with her eyes closed. Rangi’s face was frozen with confusion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Stance training,” Kyoshi said with a flat expression. She waited for a response but only got a long pause. “That's what you meant by having a “private talk” right?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence was broken by Rangi’s laughter. “You idiot, what I meant by having a private talk was that I just wanted to talk to you alone. Come on, you can stand down.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi didn’t budge, that sounded like a chance to let her guard down, giving Rangi plenty of opportunities to strike. She softly chuckled. “Are you getting soft on me lieutenant?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi could not have predicted what happened next. She felt a hand on her chin, tilting her head slightly. She opened her eyes in shock to find Rangi staring right into her, a face highlighted by distress. She paused for a moment before she spoke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I meant what I said. Stand down…..please.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The desperation in that last word shook Kyoshi to her core. She hasn’t seen her like this since Hei-ran was injured. She slowly stood back up. Rangi sighed deeply. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanted to talk to you about something important. Somethings been different with you lately. Whenever we’ve been together, I’ve noticed that when I talk to you about trying to get better, you always change the subject. Most of the time you just say that you're ‘fine’.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi didn’t know how to respond to that. It felt like when Rangi and Jinpa ganged up on her for her bad habits, but much worse. It was worse because it was more personal. Without realizing it, Kyoshi smiled weakly. “It's okay, you shouldn't worry about m-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then she realized that she just did what Rangi was talking about. Kyoshi saw a mixture of anger and anguish come across her face. Rangi pointed at her with intensity.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That. That face you just made. Every time you try to brush off my questions you make that face, and quite honestly I can’t stand it anymore!” Kyoshi could feel the heat in the room rising. “I know what you're doing. You're not feeling like yourself and every time I ask if your okay, you put on that stupid fake smile. What good is it to keep bottling up your emotions?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi was flustered, trying to find something to reply to that scathing question. “I-Its just…. Not important right now. We can...talk about it later.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could feel Rangi’s accusing stare. “Why don’t we talk about it now, and how about you start by telling me the truth.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi was about to reply, defensive of that accusation. But the way she said those last few words caught Kyoshi off guard. It didn’t sound angry, it sounded sincere.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Every second of silence was more unbearable than the last. Kyoshi swallowed anxiously, trying to get words, any words, to come out. “I-I think the reason I keep all of that inside..is… every time I get emotional or I let my emotions do the talking, something bad happens or someone gets hurt because of what I did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi exhaled through her nose, silence permeating the room yet again. Rangi looked at Kyoshi’s face, she could see that she was being honest this time. Rangi spoke with a softer tone to her voice. “So what, you're just not going to feel ANYTHING?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi stared at the ground. “Sometimes I wish I could. I hoped before that….maybe I could do something right. Maybe I could do something that makes a difference. But all I’ve done is make things worse. Now…..now it just hurts to hope.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What good have I ever been, for anyone?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then in the corner of her vision, Kyoshi saw two hands reaching in to cup her face. They were soft but firm. She picked her head up, looking at Rangi yet again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The firebender had tears streaming down her face. She let out sharp, quick breaths trying to keep herself together. Then she kissed Kyoshi, deeply, standing on the tips of her toes to reach her. As they parted, Rangi whispered something in Kyoshi’s ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What good have you been? Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi could feel her eyes welling up. Sometimes she forgets how much she really means to Rangi. She always knew how she felt but it was only now that Kyoshi understood the extent of her feelings. But she began to push the tears back down as another thought came into her mind. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“B-But I’ve hurt you too. I betrayed your trust, so many times. I almost got your mother killed! And I…..I almost lost you. I wasn’t strong enough to keep you from getting hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi opted for an empty expression. A face of disappointment at nobody but herself. Rangi was struggling to stay calm, but she knew that the woman she loved was on the verge becoming her worst nightmare: someone who had no more tears to shed, nothing left to feel. She only had one other way to get to Kyoshi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi noticed that Kyoshi had been wearing her gloves all day. The material they were made of had been showing wear and tear through the many months of use. Rangi slowly took off one glove, Kyoshi’s glance moved to her hand, slightly bewildered. Rangi gazed at the scars on her hand, softly tracing outside of the red markings on her palm. Kyoshi could feel herself getting warmer, unsure if it was the warmth of Rangi’s hand or some heat that was building up in her chest. For the past few months, the only kind of touch she was used to was that of fighting, a visceral, painful contact. A touch this delicate still felt like a new experience for her, even if it was with someone she had held before. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi pressed Kyoshi’s hand against her chest, letting it stay there for a moment before moving into her nightgown. For someone who had seen battle on a regular basis, her skin was still incredibly soft. Kyoshi’s face was as red as a tomato, her eyes darted all over the room not knowing how to process what was happening. “W-wait Rangi, are you sure about this….” Her other hand began to fidget.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly her hand stopped. Then a moment later she felt something, a soft beat. It was Rangi’s heartbeat. This was a completely new feeling, she was familiar with her own heartbeat but she never felt the heartbeat of another person. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you feel that,” said Rangi. Her eyes were still watery but she was smiling. She could tell she caught Kyoshi off guard just by the look on her face. It was both amusing and relieving. “It's still beating because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You think you weren’t strong enough to protect me but you're wrong. You healed me, you stayed with me for days doing everything you could. And I’m here now, because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You're so much stronger than you know, but also that doesn’t mean you should keep the burden of being the Avatar to yourself. You're not alone in this anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi remembered what Yangchen had told her about Kuruk, how he felt he had to carry out his duty alone, and suffered for it. That bit of wisdom became much clearer now. During this intimate moment, she was able to find self-reflection. Rangi could see that it was working, that she was breaking down the barriers Kyoshi had set up in herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But she decided to go further. Rangi turned around, loosening the nightgown. She let it drape down, almost touching the ground, exposing most of her back until it revealed the scar. Kyoshi had already seen it many times while she was healing her, but now was a much different situation. She froze up at first, no knowing what to do until she spoke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Go ahead, feel it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi was hesitant at first, but then she lightly grazed around the healed skin. Her back was a bit rougher than the front, but it was still soft to the touch. For only a few days, a scar as serious as that one was healing up fast. But then her face showed worry when a question arose in her mind. “Does it hurt?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, not anymore.” Rangi turned her head around with a loving smile. “Thanks to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi let out a light chuckle as she continued feeling the small of her back. It was only that she realized that she </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> save Rangi. It wasn’t just a case of luck being in their favor, Kyoshi had saved the woman she loved from death. It was still more than she could process but something about that fact was comforting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she was feeling the edges of Rangi’s scar, the firebender started to remember the days after Kyoshi’s fight with Xu Ping. She remembered the numerous scars she earned and the many sleepless nights waiting for her to recover. Now Rangi knew what it was like to be on the other end, having someone worried that you won’t wake up the next day. For some reason it made Rangi feel guilty, that she recovered so quickly and painlessly while Kyoshi’s scars were more permanent. It didn’t matter anymore, she shook the thought out of her head. But another one took its place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi turned her head around again. “What about you?” She paused trying to find the right words. “Do yours still hurt?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi was taken aback by that question. She looked down at her hands, noting the difference of the black glove and a hand covered in red searing bolts. “Sometimes. Some of the pain is gone, but I don’t know if the scars will fade.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi exhaled as her worry of Kyoshi’s pain being more permanent became true. Then another thought came into Rangi’s mind. Besides her hands shes never seen Kyoshi’s scars. Every time Kyoshi was getting healed she didn’t have the stomach to see the damage that was done. But now, she felt that she needed to see it. If she was going to help Kyoshi deal with her pain, she needed to see if for herself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi turned her whole body around, still covering it with the nightgown but letting it stay somewhat loose and open. The tension in the room was palpable, another long period of silence before Rangi asked the question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“W-Would it bother you… if I looked at your scars.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi didn’t know how to respond at first. It was a strange question, showing the parts of herself that were marked for life felt like it could open up the painful memories that they hold. But at the same time, and she didn’t know why, but she felt a strong desire to share it with her. “It wouldn’t bother me,” she said, her voice shaking slightly from nervousness. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi slowly walked up to her, feeling cautious in her movement. After a moment, they were up close to each other, not knowing what to do next. Then Rangi slowly leaned into Kyoshi, kissing her again. They lingered on the feeling, Kyoshi wrapping her arm around Rangi to pull her in closer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was then they started to realize where this was all going. Neither of them intended to get to this, but neither of them felt like going back either. It was a new experience for both of them, but they both wanted to go further. To reach a greater level of intimacy, no matter how new and uncertain it might be. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi moved her hand to the lapel of Kyoshi’s tunic. She began pulling on the string but stopped halfway. Kyoshi looked down at the firebender, concerned that they may not have wanted the same thing. Then Rangi looked up at Kyoshi, with a light of doubt in her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“.....Is this okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A wave of relief came over Kyoshi. She smiled at Rangi. A sincere smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course it is.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi smiled back, leaning into her once again. The candle that Kyoshi brought in began to grow brighter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-------------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rain outside was beginning to subside. The only light in the room was a single candle that was beginning to dim. Rangi and Kyoshi sat on the bed, entwined and enveloped into one another. Both as bare and vulnerable as the other. There wasn’t the awkward filter of Kyoshi’s height anymore, they were both on the same level. Kyoshi softly traced around Rangi’s back while Rangi did the same Rangi made sure to go around the scars, even if it was harder in some places. It was soothing, almost therapeutic. Kyoshi had never been this intimate with anyone before, and she was glad that it was with Rangi. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But then the thoughts came flooding back into her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please, not now.</span>
  </em>
  <span> But it was impossible for them to stay put, especially after everything they talked about. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I could have done more.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi had stopped the movements along Rangi’s back. Rangi leaned back to see her face. She could tell something was wrong. “Is everything alright?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi stopped herself before she could say “everything is fine.” Her face grew serious as she tried to come up with the right words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve been thinking...about everything you said….everything I’ve said. It made me think about… if things had gone differently.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi leaned in slightly, encouraging her to continue.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What I mean is… What if I wasn’t the Avatar? What if I was never abandoned by my parents? What if I didn’t become a maid at the estates? Where would we be now? But more than that, I’ve been thinking about….everything. Everything that's happened these past few months.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi looked off the side, trying to avoid eye contact. She was opening herself up, but it was still too painful to admit it. Rangi stared at her with sympathy as she continued.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I could have done more…...more to help Yun. If only I had more time, if only I didn’t waste it being so impulsive. If only I thought through what I was doing, made a plan or anything. Then….maybe I could have helped him. Then you wouldn’t have gotten hurt and he’d still be with us…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi’s breathing began to quicken.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I could have brought him back to us. He wouldn’t have hurt you and your mother. I could have stopped him then. If I knew I was the Avatar sooner I could have stopped so much from happening….”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I could have done more……..</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kyoshi….”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yun wouldn’t have been taken away, Kelsang would still be alive. So many people wouldn’t have died for me. If only I knew….”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I could have done more……..</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kyoshi…..”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I could have done something….something to stop all this from happening. If only I knew what I was doing back then, if only I knew how to be the Avat-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi moved Kyoshi’s head back to face her. The firebender stared right into her, eyes burning with sadness and love. Kyoshi could feel the heat of her hand on her face. With the way that Rangi was looking at her, there was nowhere left to hide. She kept her gaze until Kyoshi’s breathing slowed. Then her lips parted to speak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s not your fault. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“You did everything you could.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hearing those words, those exact words, coming from the person that Kyoshi loved most was like the greatest release. A release of all the regret and self-loathing she had bottled up for so long. The emotional walls that Kyoshi had built began to crumble. At first, tears streamed down her face but soon it became full-on sobbing. When Kyoshi cried, her breaths weren’t quick and sharp like Rangi, but they were long and lingering. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi embraced Kyoshi, holding onto her as tight as she could. She tried to hide her own tears, wanting to be strong for Kyoshi, before she joined in. She leaned into Kyoshi’s ear, her voice shaking just as much. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoshi’s sobs continued, letting all of it out at once. It was a visceral but necessary release. After she had the strength to speak again, she leaned out to face Rangi. There was not a single bit of insincerity on Kyoshi’s face. As she tried to gather her voice, she told her something that she hasn’t said enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Kyoshi stared at Rangi lovingly, lightly brushing the side of her face. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you so much.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rangi tried to catch her breath, she still felt the sting of her tears but now she was smiling. She leaned in and kissed Kyoshi. They still held on to each other, this feeling of release was enveloping both of them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With time, the tears subsided along with the thoughts that plagued Kyoshi. Now the only thing left was that warm feeling in her chest, knowing that someone loved her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was like being able to </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But she did think about something else. She thought about that day by the lake, when Rangi had told her how she felt. She remembered what Rangi said, about how she deserved happiness, about how painful it was to watch her suffer. But there was one thing that still stuck in her mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“If I were better at my job you would never feel scared. Only loved.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And she did. Even then, at that very moment, she still felt loved by her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The candle made it's last few flickers before it dimmed completely.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Call to Action</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The rain had come to pass, it's only remnants being the smell of morning dew that permeated near the estate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi’s usual morning routine involved getting from her bed to find an empty spot next to her. So it was a breath of fresh air to find Kyoshi by her side, fast asleep. It wasn’t just that she was still there, but that it looked like Kyoshi was in the deepest sleep she’s had ever since her journey as the Avatar began. To see the master of all four elements face down on a pillow, sleeping like a baby, was a sight to behold. Rangi couldn’t waste the opportunity to see this. But it also gave Rangi a great deal of comfort, knowing that the Avatar, no, Kyoshi could allow herself to be vulnerable. Even if it was for a brief moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But as she looked at the woman she loved, she still found the scars. The painful remnants of the past. But Rangi began to see them in a different light. She hated the pain they caused Kyoshi, the history that they hold, but they were still a part of her. Rangi didn’t just love parts of Kyoshi, like how she doesn’t just love her for being the Avatar. She loved everything about her, even the things that others might consider unsightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She carefully traced her finger around the edges of the red bolts, just like she did the other night. She didn’t want to wake Kyoshi up, considering how peaceful she looked right now. But a sound interrupted the moment, a knock at the door. Rangi’s eyes narrowed, it was pretty early for anyone to be up and about. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She quickly put on the nightgown she was wearing and made her way to the door. She opened to find Jinpa with an envelope in one hand. He was tapping his foot, looking somewhat impatient.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There you are Kyosh-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His expression changed to surprise and confusion, seeing the fire nation lieutenant standing before him instead of the Avatar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Rangi. My apologies I thought Kyoshi might be in here, she's usually up by this hour….”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kyoshi face down on the bed. His confusion was spent and now all that was left was embarrassment, realizing he might have interrupted a private moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned to the side, tight-lipped. “Well, this is awkward…..” He regained his composure and then held out the envelope to Rangi. “Anyways, I have an important notice for Avatar Kyoshi. It was sent all the way from the Fire Nation royal palace. Could you give her this for me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi nodded. “I’ll relay the message.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jinpa nodded back. But then he narrowed his eyes and glanced back to Kyoshi. “Is she </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> sleeping?” The tone of his voice sounded like he was witnessing the impossible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you, Jinpa.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Rangi’s expression hinted at the Air Nomad overreaching his duties.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right….sorry.” He stiffly walked back down the hall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi scratched her forehead, now she knows how Kyoshi must have felt when they were working in Ba Sing Se. She stared at the envelope, colored completely in bright red. It had the Fire Lord's specific seal, so she knew that this was official. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Rangi studied the mysterious envelope, Kyoshi began to awake from her slumber. As she got up her hair puffed out in a wrangled mess, her eyes half shut. She rubbed her eyelids, trying to break out of her sleepy haze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did I sleep in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi smiled, walking over to Kyoshi’s side of the bed and lightly kissed her forehead. “A little bit.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi smiled back, softly holding onto the firebender’s hand. She notices the red envelope in Rangi’s hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jinpa wanted me to give this to you. Considering the seal on it, it’s probably important.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi sighed, remembering she still had responsibilities as the Avatar to attend to. But luckily she could attend to them from the comfort of her bed. Rangi moved over to the other side of the bed as Kyoshi opened the letter. Kyoshi’s eyes scanned down the paper, her face slowly changing to surprise. Then she put the letter down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does it say?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's from Zoryu. He said that hes released the Saowan clan and freed the man that stood in for Yun’s execution.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi stared at the letter again, just to make sure she read it right. She let out a sigh of relief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I’m starting to make up for my mistakes,” she said jokingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But something bothered Rangi. Something about this felt too easy. Only sending a letter to Kyoshi seemed like it was underselling the severity of an act like this. There wasn’t proof in the letter that the Saowan clan was relieved of imprisonment besides Zoryu’s word (which wasn’t all that trustworthy anymore). It felt like it was just a cover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She could sense Rangi’s distrust in the claim. Kyoshi turned her body around to face her. “What are you thinking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi shifted in her spot, thinking on it further. She didn’t want to sound paranoid, but the more she thought about it the more validity was added to her concerns. “Something about this is fishy. If he was going to make a decree like this, there would have been notice from the military and the council. But he just sent you a letter, nothing else to go with it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if he’s lying? I mean we’ve seen him set up the whole Saowan clan, this might just be another act he's trying to pull.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi pondered on that question, Zoryu had her trust before but it didn’t take long for it to be dashed with his attempt to keep his honor and position of power steady. Rangi’s uncertainty then became Kyoshi’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You're right. There isn’t enough to go off of, we need to make sure he’s actually kept his word. Lao Ge’s gone silent for a little while, so I don’t know how hes been handling it. But it’s got me worried.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To Rangi, seeing Kyoshi begin to think about her duties more clearly was also a relief. She didn’t seem as bogged down by the uncertainties, she was thinking actively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi looked at Kyoshi, an air of love and respect radiating from her. “Thinking about paying our ‘friend’ a visit?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi could see the look in Rangi’s eyes. It was comforting, even healing, to see someone who believed in her both as the Avatar and who she was deep down. She didn’t need to hide anything, pretend to be stronger than she was. But when she was around Rangi, she felt like she could lift mountains and move the seas. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's time…..for the Avatar to return.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her duties had now moved from beyond the comfort of her bed. But it was nice to know that she wouldn’t be alone while attending them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this storyline will be continued in another fic called "The Firelord's Promise", so keep an eye out for that when it comes out</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>The wind began to shake through the wooden walls of the estate. The night was completely silent except for the occasional whistle of air off in the distance. The infirmary was empty, except for Kyoshi sitting by Rangi’s bed, who was fast asleep.  The young firebender was still trying to recover from her injury, it had been a few days since then. Kyoshi had been doing her best to heal it, but it seemed like she still had a long way to go. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kyoshi’s tears had dried but there was still a pit in her stomach. While she had successfully kept Rangi alive, she wasn’t sure if she was just postponing the inevitable. It didn’t seem like she was improving. In fact, she might be getting worse.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She had to trust in her healing training, but right now she didn’t have a lot of faith. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Please, just this once,” she said as she moved the glowing water around the edges of the wound.  After a while, she slowly lowered her hand and brought the water back into her cloth pouch. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tears began to well up in her eyes again, but she quickly wiped them away. They wouldn’t help now. She tried to keep herself from falling back into that dark place, right after she held Rangi in her arms trying to stop herself from losing control. She breathed, a long and unsteady breath. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She didn’t know what else there was to do. She had to wait for Atuat to return and who knows how long that would be. She had no way of knowing if what she was taught was even working. This was her first time using it on someone who was mortally wounded, and it was the person most important in her life. Atuat had taught her everything she could, but now it seems it was all for naught. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But then an idea came into Kyoshi’s head. She remembered a rumor, a myth, that Atuat had told her during her time in training. At this point, she was willing to take any routes, even if they might not work.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Before she left the infirmary, Kyoshi gave a Rangi a soft kiss on her forehead. Then she made her way through the halls and out of the estate. She brushed past Yun’s grave, the grass flowing with intensity against the night wind. She was getting close. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>During her trek, she came across a familiar shape, the shape of a fox. It stood up, staring intently and curiously at Kyoshi. The fox pointed its head to the left, a signal to follow it. As Kyoshi approached,  the fox made its way past some of the shrubbery and bushes outside the trail. Kyoshi followed, dodging the prickly branches below her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Show me where to go, little guy.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>After a while, she found it. That same spring where she met Yangchen. Even with the wind, the spring was captured in a moment of complete stasis. It was a literal safe haven within the storm. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kyoshi approached the water slowly before dipping her hand in. As she moved it around, she felt an unexplainable sensation. Like the scars around her fingers were slowly disappearing. But quickly she pulled her hand out, realizing it could be seen as disrespectful to a spiritual site to just start playing with the pond. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She found the stone table, where she first meditated and talked with Yangchen. She quickly sat atop the stone and crossed her legs. She closed her eyes and waited for what seemed like hours. It was hard to keep awake since she was up all day trying to heal Rangi. But her hunger and growling stomach helped her to stay awake. But with time, she finally heard a familiar voice. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s wonderful to see you again Kyoshi.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She opened her eyes to find the warm expression of Yangchen sitting in front of her. It was a comforting face to find at a time like this. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“So what brings you here at this hour.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kyoshi remembered her goal, she didn’t know what to say at first since the rumor began to sound silly. But still, she went ahead with it. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yangchen, is it alright for me to take Spirit water from the spring. I’ve been told it has certain….powers, healing powers. But I wasn’t sure if I used it if there would be considered an insult to the Spirit World in some way. I’m still trying to learn about it, but there's still so much I don’t know. But I wanted to ask you….”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yangchen began to think on the question before replying.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well that depends, what are you using the water for?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kyoshi sat in silence for a moment. She knew this whole journey was just based on a rumor. But if it was a chance to save Rangi then she had to go through with it. Even if it might lead to a dead end.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kyoshi slowly looked back up at Yangchen with a face of determination and desperation seeping past her eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I need it to save someone I love…... I need to heal her.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yangchen saw the sincerity behind Kyoshi’s words. It was comforting, to see her successor who had to go through so much to try to save others, even if it was to no avail, still doing everything she could. The Air Nomad spirit smiled proudly.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Then you have my permission.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi followed Kyoshi through the woods, staying slightly behind as she wasn’t sure why they were here in the first place. They had just gotten back from the Fire Nation and on a whim Kyoshi wanted to take a walk in the forest. It seemed strange to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So where is it that we’re going?” Rangi asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll see, it’s a surprise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi raised an eyebrow in confusion right before a little fox appeared in front of Kyoshi. Rangi was taken aback at first, but then she saw Kyoshi crouch down in front of it. It looked like she was whispering something in its ear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The fox suddenly made its way through a patch of bushes. Kyoshi began to follow it before turning back to Rangi. She smiled, motioning herself in the direction of the bushes before continuing onwards. Rangi stood for a moment, slightly annoyed and bewildered, but soon enough she made her way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kyoshi! Wait up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She tried to dodge the branches jutting out at every angle. It would have been a much bigger issue if she was wearing her hair in the topknot, but she abandoned that a while ago.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After the short struggle through the bushes, Rangi made it to the other side. She took a  moment to compose herself, then she saw the spring. She was in awe of the beauty of the water and plant life surrounding it. She couldn’t articulate it, but there was something otherworldly about it all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She saw Kyoshi and the little fox standing in front of the pond. Rangi joined Kyoshi by her side, looking into the reflection of the water. She was still a bit uncertain about what was going on, her body was visibly tense. But she relaxed when Kyoshi gripped her hand tenderly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This spring is a spiritual place. This was where I first talked to Yangchen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now the strange feeling that Rangi had gotten made sense, entering a spiritual place was said to be the closest link between the world of Spirits and the physical. It made her look at every part of the pond in a new light. She was doing all she could to take in the feeling of wonder. She looked deeper into the pond. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe it, I didn’t even know that spirit ponds really existed!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi chuckled softly at the firebender’s sudden excitement. “Well, there's a bit more to it than that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She moved Rangi’s hand over, showing the burn that she took from her fight with Jinran. It mostly healed, but there was some occasional pain that she felt from it. Kyoshi then bended a shifting mass of the pond water over to her. Slowly, she began to heal Rangi’s hand with it. Kyoshi looked at Rangi while she slowly flowed the liquid around the burn.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does this feel….familiar by any chance?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi was confused by the question at first. Of course it felt familiar, she had healed her before, it wasn’t anything new. But as it went on, she started to feel something specifically familiar about it. For some reason, it felt like it was connected to a part of her back, a tingling sensation running from the palm to the other side of her body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yes it does….. I’m not sure why though…..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi gave a knowing smile. She finished the healing before returning the water back into the pond. She went back to staring at the water’s reflection. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess I was right….”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi was confused at the sudden statement. “About what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi began to playfully bend the water with a circular motion, deep in thought. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I was training with Atuat, I heard a rumor that Spirit water could heal even the worst wounds. I didn’t really believe it at the time, but it was something that I thought about every now and then. Back when you were recovering from your injury, I was so scared that there wasn’t anything that I could do to stop it from getting worse. I felt desperate, and I found this pond not too long after. In the middle night, I took some of the pond water and used it to heal your back. I wasn’t sure if it worked at first, but then you started recovering so quickly. When Atuat told me that you didn’t have any internal wounds, I had a feeling it was because of the Spirit water.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi looked at Kyoshi, processing the weight of this story. Kyoshi had saved her on the last strands of hope that she had, clinging on to a solution that may not have been true. Kyoshi looked down into the water, staring into her own reflection. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If it wasn’t for this pond, I don’t know what I would have done to save you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi knew the look that Kyoshi was giving. And she knew exactly what to do. She nestled herself into Kyoshi’s neck, now she was the one holding onto her hand. She traced her fingers around the scars on the back of Kyoshi’s hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m here now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi smiled slightly, leaning into Rangi. She exhaled, it felt like letting go of something that had been weighing her down. A weight that she couldn’t even see. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Rangi said suddenly. She turned Kyoshi’s face to meet her eyes. Kyoshi was taken aback by the gesture, staring right into the flame of her lover’s eyes. But it appeared more as a gentle heat than a smoldering fire.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. For everything. You’ve done so much for me and you’ve helped a lot of people these past few days. You’ve done so much and I don’t even know how I could repay you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi raised an eyebrow at the thought of Rangi having to repay her in any way, it seemed like a silly idea.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well thank you for always believing in me, even after everything. I don’t think I would have gotten this far if it wasn’t for you. You may be my firebending sifu and bodyguard, but you're also the most important person in my life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi tried to hide her face, she was bright red now. But she was also smiling, laughing slightly. Kyoshi did the same. The sun started to shimmer off of the spring water, illuminating the two. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Rangi was trying to cease her awkward laughs, she spoke again. “I wish I could say something more meaningful than ‘I love you.’”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi didn’t really know what she meant at first, but then it hit her. Saying “I love you” didn’t properly convey how she felt for her. She wanted to say something stronger. Kyoshi smiled again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have an idea….”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then suddenly she gave Rangi a quick and playful kiss. When Kyoshi eventually pulled back, Rangi stood still for a moment with her face even more flushed than before. Then she returned the kiss, this time it lasted a bit longer. Afterwards they slowly separated, both laughing again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess that's one way to say it,” Rangi said, trying to catch her breath while chuckling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To Kyoshi, this felt like reliving the moment they both learned how they felt for one another. But now, they had their past behind them. It was like doing it again for the first time, kissing the woman she loved next to the shimmering water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then they felt something brush their legs. Kyoshi and Rangi looked down to see the little fox in between them. It’s tail was moving back and forth from Kyoshi to Rangi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi kneeled down to pet the little creature, its head extending out to feel Kyoshi’s fingers. Rangi sat down with her, looking as Kyoshi gently petted the fox.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen this one quite a few times around here, I think it might be following me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rangi extended her hand out to pet the fox. Now it was having a hard time picking who to accept scratches from. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think it might be your animal guide?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kyoshi gave Rangi a confused glance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They say the Avatar has an animal guide that helps them through their life. Sometimes they meet at an early age or maybe they meet later on in life. But if this one has been leading you here, there's a good chance it might be your guide.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right as she said that, the fox suddenly moved into Rangi’s lap, asking to be scratched more. Her focus shifted to the fox, playing with the tiny creature. Kyoshi watched both Rangi and the fox with loving eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Kyoshi said, watching the fox beginning to fall asleep in Rangi’s lap. “I think you might be right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They both stared at the small creature, finally breathing slowly with its eyes closed. The two of them then sat together, staring at the glimmer of the sun against the water. They sat in a comfortable, blissful silence before Rangi brought up a question they were both thinking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wonder what we’ll name it….”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you all for reading these fics, I hope you enjoyed them!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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